ANDOVER Town returned from the Isle of Wight with their 100 per cent Wessex League Premier Division record intact, thanks to a 4-0 win at Newport.

The Islanders have only once taken maximum Wessex league points from Andover and there was no stage during this game when they looked as if they would improve that record.

Manager Glenn Burnett made two changes to the team that so dramatically knocked Wimborne out of the FA Cup in midweek.

Connor Cocklin returned after suspension and Luke Dempsey came in.

With Jason Silver unavailable and Zach Glasspool not fully fit, Shane Lock was handed the number nine shirt.

Aaron Nesbeth moved to a wing back role whilst Liam Hibberd strengthened the midfield.

Town made a strong start as both Lock and Liam Gilbert went close as Andover dominated the opening exchanges and it was not long before they took the lead.

Lock did well to control Joe Wright’s cross before firing in a low shot wrong footing the goalkeeper.

Five minutes later the advantage was doubled as Reece Rusher carved his way, almost unchallenged into the area and scored with a fierce drive, which hit the far post before rebounding into the net.

At this point it was all one way traffic and Gilbert emphasized the point scoring the third goal with Rusher, not for the first time, providing the assist.

The match had only just pasted the 30 minute mark when Newport failed to clear their lines following a corner allowing Rusher find the back of the net from 25-yards for Andover’s fourth.

Little was seen of Newport as an attacking unit but their single attempt on target was Aiden Sainsbury’s 40-yard screamer which produced a superlative save by Lloyd Thomas.

After the resumption Andover continued to have more of the possession and did not really allow the home side any opportunity to get back into the game.

In fact it got worse for Newport when Emerson Tattershall brought down Dempsey.

The referee adjudged that it was a dangerous tackle and having been cautioned in the first half saw yellow again followed by the inevitable red.

More drama was to follow when Newport’s Jared Wetherwick struck Craig Blakeman with a swinging elbow.

The Andover player retaliated and the referee had little option, but to issue a straight red card to each player.

With Newport down to nine men Andover set up camp in their opponents half but to their credit the islanders weathered the storm and Glasspool’s effort that rattled the crossbar was the only time they looked like conceding a fifth.

Tonight, Andover, who are sixth in the table have a derby game with Amesbury.